I'm 29 days without a cig. I've ridden 60 miles this week, on a nasty hybrid thing, waiting for new sew ups and brakes to arrive. a pack a day for me and I'd smoked for 14 yrs. I hadn't ridden since October so I'm surprised I didn't need an ambulance ride home. Figure by august I can justify building a new bike based on what I saved not smoking. Other vises still apply.....

I was a regular smoker of cigarettes, cigars and other stuff I don't care to mention but gave it all up about 15 years ago. I didn't ride a lot after quitting, but instead I became a serious runner for awhile.

Smoked for 30 out of 34 years ( started at age 14 and quit several times for short time periods ). I haven't smoked in 3 years. Just now getting past the 100 mile a week phase, although work obligations keep it much lower most of the time, but the damage from the tobacco will always be there. My lungs are much stronger now, thanks to cycling I believe. Every hill gets easier, and every mile faster. If you have made it 3 days without, then just ride every time you want one. The direct financial savings are immense, the indirect savings (less respiratory problems, more enjoying life, more time to do things you could not do because "just let me smoke this first", every thing tastes so much better, and on and on and on ) Congratulations on becoming a non-smoker!

I smoked 2 pks/day for 30 years. I finally quit 3 years ago. It took me 18 months of repeated efforts to quit! My lungs already feel much better, but have a way to go yet. I didn't start riding again until just after I quit smoking, but I think quitting improved my aerobic abilities a lot (I was involved in other types of exercize then). Congratulations to all who quit. If you smoke, nothing could make you feel better than quitting!

I smoked for 10 years, 2 packs a day for the last 2-3 years. (been quit for a about 2 years 4 months now) I didn't get into bicyling right away, about 1/2 year later, so by then my lungs were much better. Didn't take long to ride 100 a week though, did 100 a day several times that summer. As long as you don't gun it, the lungs don't seem to matter too much for long riding. At least that's my experience.

yeah me smoked about 25 years then woke up one morning a non-smoker - bang, just like that. That was five years ago, & I bought myself a Ducati to celebrate. Ducati's gone now, and the billowing midriff has now too thanks to cycling. I vote give it up.

I smoked 1.5 packs a day for years. I stopped quickly, took up running to keep me from going back, and got very seriously involved. My peak year included 2,600 miles. I did a lot of marathons and between 20 to 30 races annually. I ddin't get involved in cycling until later.

Stopping is the hardest thing I have even done. People say the last six miles of a marathon is tough. It is but the discomfort doesn't last long. Stopping smoking is uncomfortable for a long, long time.

I smoked 2 - 3 packs of Marlboro reds a day for about 8 years. I quit cold turkey on 2/21/01. I'll never forget the date. Anyway, I started riding bikes a couple of months later, just up and down the street. I figured if I was riding I wouldn't smoke, if I was smoking I couldn't ride. I started mountain biking shortly after that and haven't looked back since.

As for 100 miles a week, I have no idea how long that took since I didn't even pay attention to mileage at first. I was just happy to be able to take a deep breath.

Smoked tobacco (various forms) for about 15 years. Smoked a pipe for the last 8 years and cigarettes when a pipe was not reasonable (is any of it really reasonable?) which equated to about 1 pack every two days.
This weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I rode about 35 miles total. 8.5 on Friday, 12.5 on Saturday, and 14 on Sunday. My lungs gave out before my overweight body did. When I got home from my 14 mile ride on Sunday I packed my pipe and sat for a relaxing smoke, ugh, it was aweful! I cleaned the pipe, put it away, and tossed my cigs in the trash. If riding is going to affect my ability to enjoy a smoke, and smoking is going to affect my ability to enjoy a nice 15-20 mile ride, then to hell with the tobacco. Thus today is my first day as a non smoker since I was a teenager and I already feel better, both mentally and physically.
Now let's see how I feel after my 15 mile ride today.

Smoked tobacco (various forms) for about 15 years. Smoked a pipe for the last 8 years and cigarettes when a pipe was not reasonable (is any of it really reasonable?) which equated to about 1 pack every two days.
This weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I rode about 35 miles total. 8.5 on Friday, 12.5 on Saturday, and 14 on Sunday. My lungs gave out before my overweight body did. When I got home from my 14 mile ride on Sunday I packed my pipe and sat for a relaxing smoke, ugh, it was aweful! I cleaned the pipe, put it away, and tossed my cigs in the trash. If riding is going to affect my ability to enjoy a smoke, and smoking is going to affect my ability to enjoy a nice 15-20 mile ride, then to hell with the tobacco. Thus today is my first day as a non smoker since I was a teenager and I already feel better, both mentally and physically.
Now let's see how I feel after my 15 mile ride today.

CHEERS! It's tough, I'm there too. Day 29. If you feel the urge, pm me. I'll tell how I got thru the first couple of weeks. I wish you luck and deep breathes!

I'm already feeling the urge!
With every sip of my coffee I'm urning for a drag of a cig, but instead I just chew on my drafting pencils, gone thru about a dozen thus far
Thanks for the props, I know that the moment I start commuting (11 miles or so each way) that I'll never look back, but that is a few weeks away. Until then I'll keep eating my pencils. hehe

Originally Posted by KirkeIsWaiting

CHEERS! It's tough, I'm there too. Day 29. If you feel the urge, pm me. I'll tell how I got thru the first couple of weeks. I wish you luck and deep breathes!

I'm already feeling the urge!
With every sip of my coffee I'm urning for a drag of a cig, but instead I just chew on my drafting pencils, gone thru about a dozen thus far
Thanks for the props, I know that the moment I start commuting (11 miles or so each way) that I'll never look back, but that is a few weeks away. Until then I'll keep eating my pencils. hehe

Had to give up the caffeine, at least for the first two weeks. I few habits had to change, talking on the phone was a cig trigger for me and I just flat out avoid starbucks. The old guys at the local watering hole missed me for a few weeks too. I drink a lot more water now too. If you're not patching you'll need to start detoxing your system. Water and green tea. Hokey but I love the Vicks inhalers, nice deep breaths. Try it.

I quit cigarettes in 1983, but smoked 15 cigars a day until August, 2003. I bought a stationary recumbent bike two months later (when I saw how much weight I was gaining), and after 11 months of sheer boredom (and too few hours of riding) with that, in September of 2004, I bought a recumbent bicycle. By January, I was riding 100 miles a week. I do about 120 miles a week now.

I'm already feeling the urge!
With every sip of my coffee I'm urning for a drag of a cig, but instead I just chew on my drafting pencils, gone thru about a dozen thus far
Thanks for the props, I know that the moment I start commuting (11 miles or so each way) that I'll never look back, but that is a few weeks away. Until then I'll keep eating my pencils. hehe

Man I hope you make it. I gave up some 20 odd years ago after a 20 year addiction. It took me three years to be free of the menace. I hate the freekin things and everything associated with them. URRRK!
I raced sailboats for years after and now I'm racing bikes (I'm 63) and I love it. None of it would have been possible if I was still a slave the bloody tobacco co.'s.
The best of luck with your effort, we're all rootin for you.

The consumption of alcohol may create the illusion that you are tougher, smarter, faster and better looking than most people.